Labor mocks Morrison at rally ahead of Federal Election

With the Prime Minister finally launching the Liberal Party’s election campaign today, the Labor Party have banded together to declare war.

As Scott Morrison prepared to hold his formal election campaign launch in Brisbane today, Anthony Albanese held his own competing, faux launch a short distance away.

I say faux launch because Labor already did its real one weeks ago. But this was the same sort of vibe: a room packed with party supporters and volunteers, eager to cheer at lame applause lines; speeches from top politicians, packed with such lines; and a lengthy address from the leader himself.

Mr Albanese was joined by such luminaries as former prime minister Kevin Rudd, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, former treasurer Wayne Swan, possible future treasurer Jim Chalmers, Senators Murray Watt and Anthony Chisholm, and the party’s candidate for Brisbane, Madonna Jarrett.

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Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese during the Labor campaign rally on May 15. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

The crowd got warmed up with a video compilation of the greatest hits from Labor’s TikTok account. For example: that scene from Star Wars where Leia asks, “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope,” but with Scott Morrison answering, “That’s not my job.” Side-splitting stuff.

There were speeches from Mr Rudd, Mr Chalmers, Ms Palaszczuk and Mr Albanese, which all shared two common factors: shameless Queensland parochialism, and digs at Scott Morrison’s attempt to reinvent himself in the campaign’s dying days.

(If you missed it, on Friday Mr Morrison essentially told Australians he would change and show a different style of leadership, if he were to win another term.)

Mr Rudd, speaking in his usual tapestry of cliches, said Australians were “fed up to the back teeth” with Mr Morrison.

“They’re fed up with corruption. They’re fed up with incompetence. They’re fed up with the blame game. They’re fed up with this bloke who doesn’t hold the hose. They’re fed up with a government that has zero plan for Australia’s future,” he said.

“Did you see Scotty from marketing’s most recent attempt at personal rebranding?” Mr Rudd added, using his favourite nickname for the Prime Minister.

“Seriously, with one week to go before an election… Scotty is now hoping he can wave a magic wand and conjure up the fairies of the bottom of the garden. And hey, presto, vote for me after the years in office because I promised to be a softer, gentler Scotty in the future.

“Well, pigs might fly.”

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that Australians were “fed up to the back teeth” with Scott Morrison. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Chalmers was perhaps a little less mocking in his tone, but not in his message.

“Scott Morrison started this campaign saying, People know who I am. It’s only now that it’s dawned on him that that’s the problem,” Mr Chalmers quipped.

“So now he wants you to believe that the last three or four years, or the past nine years, we’re just a phase he was going through.”

To give you an example of the appeal to Queenslanders’ parochialism, the shadow treasurer also said the following.

“This is the difference. Scott Morrison thinks Queensland is necessary for his own political survival. Anthony Albanese knows Queensland is absolutely vital to Australia’s success.

“Our close affinity with Queenslanders is real. I’ve seen it for myself in every corner of this state. I’ve seen the respect that [Albanese] has for us. I’ve seen the belief that he has in us.”

Jim Chalmers was less mocking in his tone than Kevin Rudd. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Another example, from Ms Palaszczuk, who as Premier of the state was quite suited to the job.

“Albo knows Queensland. He has driven the length and breadth of our state. He’s not going to deny Queensland our fair share, like we’ve seen from Scott Morrison. He knows the issues and he understands us,” she said.

“Instead of picking fights with us – whether it’s on disaster recovery, health care funding, or infrastructure – Albo is someone who will work with me to get the job done for Queensland.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that Anthony Albanese understands her state. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Albanese entered after another video – this time the one featuring a voiceover from Russell Crowe. Because if you’ve gone to the trouble of getting Maximus Decimus Meridius, you may as well make thorough use of him.

His speech featured a laundry list of policies, and of course, the same appeal to Queensland.

He said he would be a prime minister “who visits Queensland even when there’s no election on”.

Honestly the whole event would have been much more efficient if Mr Albanese had simply taken to the stage, yelled “QUEENSLANDER!” twenty times, and then departed without elaborating any further.

Earlier in the day, Mr Alabanese appeared on the ABC’s Insiders program, where he repeated many of his usual campaign talking points.

The Labor leader did make some news, saying he would match the government’s fresh housing policy announcement.

Anthony Albanese on ABC Insiders earlier today. Picture: ABC

He called the proposal “modest” – though he hadn’t yet seen all the details.

Mr Albanese also evaded questions on whether or not the national debt would grow under a Labor government.

“Do you think we can handle more debt? Will we see more debt under Labor” asked host David Speers.

“We need to be fiscally responsible, which is why we’ve been very careful about our commitments,” Mr Albanese replied, before going off on a vaguely related tangent.

“More debt or not?” Speers interjected, trying to pull him back to the question.

“Debt is a product of inputs and outputs David,” said Mr Albanese.

“What we’re saying is that our investments are boosting the inputs, making sure we put downward pressure on debt, making sure we’re fiscally responsible.”